After a grueling two-year battle with injuries, Australian tennis maverick Nick Kyrgios is poised to make a triumphant return to the court at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, an ATP 500 event kicking off on July 19, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The 29-year-old, whose electrifying talent and polarizing persona have made him one of tennis’s most captivating figures, announced his comeback on social media with characteristic flair, igniting excitement among fans eager to see him reclaim his place among the sport’s elite. “Hey guys, I cannot wait to be returning this summer to DC, it’s one of my favourite tournaments,” Kyrgios declared on Instagram. “I love the fans, I love the energy and as a two-time winner I never felt more comfortable at any other event.” As he gears up for the US Open, this tournament marks a critical step in testing his recovery and reigniting his competitive fire.
Kyrgios’s journey back to the court has been anything but smooth. A ruptured scapholunate ligament in his right wrist, sustained after a fall at Indian Wells in 2015 and exacerbated in 2023, sidelined him for nearly two years, limiting him to just one ATP match since October 2022—a straight-sets loss to Yibing Wu at the 2023 Stuttgart Open. The injury, requiring major reconstructive surgery, was a devastating blow for a player who reached the 2022 Wimbledon final, where he pushed Novak Djokovic to four sets, and made a deep run to the 2022 US Open quarterfinals, defeating then-world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev. “Honestly, this is probably the best I’ve felt in two years,” Kyrgios shared recently, offering hope that his wrist, once a source of chronic pain, is finally ready to withstand the rigors of professional tennis.
The DC Open holds special significance for Kyrgios, who claimed the title in 2019 against Medvedev and again in 2022 against Yoshihito Nishioka. “As a two-time winner, I never felt more comfortable at any other event,” he reiterated, underscoring the confidence boost of returning to a venue where he’s tasted success. The tournament, running from July 19 to July 25, offers a prime opportunity to shake off rust before the US Open begins on August 25. Currently ranked No. 635 due to his prolonged absence, Kyrgios is likely to rely on a wildcard or his protected ranking of No. 21 to secure entry, a testament to the ATP’s recognition of his potential despite his injury-plagued career.
Kyrgios’s comeback trail has been marked by cautious optimism. Earlier in 2025, he returned at the Brisbane International, only to lose in the first round, followed by a withdrawal from the Australian Open due to an abdominal strain. A rare victory at the Miami Open against Mackenzie McDonald—his first ATP win in 896 days—offered a glimmer of hope, but a second-round loss to Karen Khachanov highlighted ongoing physical challenges. “Honestly today was a big stepping stone,” Kyrgios posted on X after the match. “Karen Khachanov was just too good. We played a great first set but encouraging that I could finish two matches this week!” His resilience shone through despite a serve hampered by pain, averaging below 200 km/h, a far cry from the blistering speeds that once made him one of the tour’s most feared players.
The DC Open will test Kyrgios’s physical and mental fortitude against a stacked field, with top players like Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas potentially in the draw. His history of thriving under pressure—evidenced by his 2022 season, where he won three titles and reached a Grand Slam final—suggests he could surprise skeptics. Off the court, Kyrgios has kept busy, hosting his *Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios* podcast and serving as a commentator for ESPN at the 2024 US Open and talkSPORT at Wimbledon 2025. His candid reflections on mental health, including struggles with depression and self-harm in 2018, have endeared him to fans who admire his vulnerability. “It’s arguably been one of the hardest years of my life tennis-wise,” he admitted on *The AO Show* podcast, revealing the emotional toll of his injuries. “But I know there’s still fire in the belly, which is good.”
As Kyrgios prepares to step back into the spotlight, the tennis world is abuzz with questions. Can he recapture the magic of his 2022 season, when he was “knocking on the door” of the biggest titles? Or will his body betray him again? His decision to skip the French Open and Wimbledon this year, focusing instead on hard courts where his aggressive style thrives, reflects a strategic approach to his comeback. With endorsements from Nike, Yonex, and Beats, and a career prize money haul of $12.5 million, Kyrgios has the resources to focus on recovery, but the DC Open will be the true litmus test. As he takes to the court in Washington, fans will be hoping for a glimpse of the audacious, big-serving showman who once declared, “I’m going to take my time, come back and just enjoy being back out there.”
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